There is an ongoing problem concerning the development of a method of producing large quantities of metal chloride in a manner which is not corrosive to the containment vessel. The use of gaseous HCl or Cl2 as the chlorinating agent results in extensive levels of corrosion in ferrous metal containers and any associated ferrous components. To counter this, the use of non-corrosive reactants forms the basis for the present invention. It is known that CdCl2 is not a corrosive chlorinating agent for ferrous metals and can be combined with various more active metals to form a corresponding chloride. If CdCl2 is purchased in its commercial form and then purified, the metal process becomes too expensive and also creates Cd metal waste. Applicants developed an alternate method by combining gaseous chlorine with liquid cadmium to form pure CdCl2 for use as a chlorinating agent in combination with various metals to produce the desired metal chloride while not creating a large Cd waste residue. This occurs since the Cd is continually recycled in the process.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for the production of a metal chloride in volatile CdCl2, using Cl2 as the chloride source in a manner which does not result in corrosion of the containment vessel and associate manufacturing apparatus.
Another object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus which produces metal chloride at a reasonable cost since corrosion is eliminated and Cl2, not CdCl2 is the primary chloride source.
Additional advantages, objects and novel features of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following and by practice of the invention.